Flavor inhaler

Abstract

A inhaler includes a piezoelectric element substrate having an IDT constructed by use of a pair of interlocking comb-shaped metallic electrodes, a liquid supplier for supplying liquid, which is to be atomized, to a front surface of the piezoelectric element substrate on which the pair of interlocking comb-shaped metallic electrodes is positioned, a sensor, which includes at least a pair of detection parts which are opposite to each other, for detecting liquid supplied to the front surface of the piezoelectric element substrate, and a controller for controlling, based on result of detection by the sensor, the liquid supplier in such a manner that the liquid supplier supplies a certain quantity of the liquid to the front surface of the piezoelectric element substrate.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An inhaler comprising:
 a piezoelectric element substrate having an IDT constructed by use of a pair of interlocking comb-shaped metallic electrodes; 
 a liquid supplier for supplying liquid, which is to be atomized, to a front surface of the piezoelectric element substrate on which the pair of interlocking comb-shaped metallic electrodes is positioned; 
 a sensor, which comprises at least a pair of detection parts which are opposite to each other, for detecting liquid supplied to the front surface of the piezoelectric element substrate; and 
 a controller for controlling, based on result of detection by the sensor, the liquid supplier in such a manner that the liquid supplier supplies a certain quantity of the liquid to the front surface of the piezoelectric element substrate. 
 
     
     
       2. The inhaler according to  claim 1 , wherein the detection parts are positioned apart from the front surface of the piezoelectric element substrate. 
     
     
       3. The inhaler according to  claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric element substrate comprises an edge to which the liquid from the liquid supplier is supplied;
 each of the detection parts comprises a convex part which projects toward an opposite detection part; and 
 a distance between the edge and the convex part is 0.10 mm to 0.20 mm. 
 
     
     
       4. The inhaler according to  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a guide wall positioned at an edge side of the piezoelectric element substrate; 
 wherein a distance between the edge and an end surface, at the edge side, of the guide wall is equal to or longer than 0.25 mm. 
 
     
     
       5. The inhaler according to  claim 3 , wherein a distance between the convex parts of the detection parts, which are opposite to each other, corresponds to an overlap length of the pair of interlocking comb-shaped metallic electrodes. 
     
     
       6. The inhaler according to  claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric element substrate comprises edges that are opposite to each other across the pair of interlocking comb-shaped metallic electrodes, and
 the sensor is arranged on each of the edges that are opposite to each other. 
 
     
     
       7. The inhaler according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises one of an electric conductivity sensor, an emitter-receiver sensor, and a capacitive sensor.